Strange Visitors from other Planets
by sueKay-04
Summary: Set in both 1994 and 2006, a series of shocking and bizarre events leads to a new age for the Heroes of Metropolis, as well as the Daily Planet's news team...
1. Prologue

**Prologue - 1994**

She was running. Running faster than she knew was possible.

And she wasn't even breaking a sweat.

She realised how cold it was, and with her hairless scalp, scant clothing and lack of footwear, she really should have been feeling the effects of the winter weather.

But she wasn't.

Subject 001 put all her strength into vaulting up a small steep hill, but she needn't have bothered as she scaled it in a single bound.

As she continued to run from her 'minders' a broad grin broke out on her face.

She'd been right.

She wasn't evil. She'd never been evil. She was just different.

And there were other people like her. Well, one at least.

Subject 001 clutched a small alien globe in her left hand. The globe was wrapped in a newspaper clipping – a Superman story. The globe and the _Daily Planet _article, combined with her clothing, were her only belongings.

One day she'd track him down...

As she ran up a larger hill, she felt her feet leave the ground. Her captors yelled in anger as she flew away from them and soared up into the air...

Yep, one day she'd track Superman down. After all, they had a lot to discuss...


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One - 2006**

"Lois..."

She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Lois...you listening to me?"

Lois watched her saunter into the newsroom. It had been twelve years since Cat Grant had last graced the Daily Planet newsroom, yet she'd still swaggered in like she owned the place.

"Okay Lois...I'll take that as a yes...I can borrow your car."

"Yeah sure Lucy whatever."

Lois barely noticed as her younger sister pinched her car keys and ran towards the elevators.

Lois took another look at Cat, whose presence had not gone unnoticed by the newsroom staff. Those who hadn't been at the Planet long enough to have worked with Cat knew about her by reputation.

"Wow...Wasn't expecting her to waltz back in here," Jimmy piped up from his desk.

"Neither was I," Lois admitted.

"Hey...isn't that the same laptop she had when she last worked here?"Jimmy said, noting the old computer she was carrying under one arm. "Rumour has it that she made up her with rich ex-husband, got him to sign a pre-nup', divorced him and bought that island Spencer Spencer owned...Do you remember Angela who used to work here -"

"- That you went out with briefly?"

"Yeah, that Angela...Well she and Cat have been friends for years..."

Lois noticed Cat staring in Clark's direction. Clark was chatting to a group of people while getting his coffee and had been oblivious to Cat's arrival.

"...so Angela says that she last saw Cat ten or eleven years ago and that she'd completely cut herself off from the world...can you imagine that?"

"As long as she had a personal 'staff' of attractive, well-muscled men to cater to her every whim...Doesn't surprise me in the slightest."

Cat was walking towards Clark, who was still too busy being polite to some new faces to notice he was being stalked.

"I don't believe it...back for two minutes and she's already spotted her first victim," Lois growled.

Lois didn't need to worry about Clark. She just didn't want another woman propositioning her husband in front of a captive audience of thirty of the world's best reporters.

"Be back in a minute Jimmy."

* * *

"Graduate placement scheme?" Clark said quizzically to one of the group of potential new recruits he'd bumped into, "I didn't think we had one of those."

"It's a new thing," said Mandy, a small girl with mousy brown hair, "that's why there's only one place on the programme."

Clark felt a presence behind him, but not wanting to be rude to the office newbies he didn't turn round.

"But there's five of you."

"It's been a process of elimination," said Mandy, "There were three thousand applicants originally."

Suddenly a bellowing call came from the direction of Perry's Office.

"Right you young whipper-snappers. Get your butts on down here...I've made my decision."

"It was an honour meeting you Mr. Kent."

"Thank you, and good luck to all of you with the job," he said to the group.

The presence was still behind him, and he didn't need his super senses to know who it was as a hand with long fake fluorescent pink fingernails began to caress his shoulder.

"Hello Clark."

Clark turned round, "Hello Cat. Long time no see how are-"

"Oh Clark I've missed you!" Cat lunged at him, enveloping him in a tight hug. "I thought I'd never see you again...Oh these years have been so hard and so lonely not being with you."

Although Clark had never felt the sensation of his circulation being cut off before, he had a funny feeling that this was what it was like.

Lois stormed up to them before smirking at the obvious discomfort written on Clark's face. For his part, Clark only managed a feeble wave in Lois' direction.

"Hello Cat," Lois' voice could still cut through the newsroom like a knife, and Cat quickly let go of Clark.

"Lois! Still working here? Oh that's good...It's good to see you," Cat smiled insincerely. "It's good to know that while I was sunning it up on my own private island with an army of servants – I kept a job open for you Clark – that you've just been here, beavering away at your stories the whole time."

Lois sneered at Cat from behind a gritted smiled, "You must have been awfully bored just lying on a sun lounger drinking cocktails...That's not the life for me."

"Maybe not for you Lo', but I think Clark would have enjoyed it."

As Cat tried to drape herself around Clark, he communicated telepathically with Lois.

_I don't think she knows, does she?_

_I think she's lived a very sheltered life this past decade,_ Lois responded.

"I'm sure he would have," Lois smiled sweetly. "Oh listen, Cat...it must be hard being...'new' in town, so Clark and I would like to invite you to a little party we're having. It'd let you get right back into that social 'networking' thing you do so well."

"You and Clark? Having a party?" Cat was incredulous.

"Yeah," Clark responded, "Ten years of bliss and counting."

Lois watched Cat's reaction as she finally noticed their wedding rings. Suddenly Cat wasn't so eager to dig her claws into Clark.

"You got married? Oh that's wonderful! Ten years? Oh god I didn't even know you two were married -"

"- And proud parents," Clark chimed in.

"You've got kids too?"

"Mmm-hmm...Jonathan's nine now."

"That's great!" Cat smiled through her shock. "Listen, I've gotta go...check over my copy...I think I might just check all my facts are up to date!"

With that, Cat ran off, her antiquated laptop in tow.

"I guess you can't get an internet connection on Spencer Spencer Island." Clark mused.

"Obviously not...Looks like the Gossip Queen's going to have quite a learning curve."

Lois and Clark watched Cat arrive at her old desk - which was now Jimmy's - and sit down.

"Jimmy! Where's the 'on' button for this PC?"

"That's not a PC...That's an iMac."

"An i-what?"

Lois turned to her husband, "I think our job just got more interesting again."

"Mmm-hmm."

"Clark...I think I accidentally gave Lucy permission to borrow my car."

"You're paying the insurance if she crashes it again."

Their attention was now drawn to Perry's office, where four rather sad looking graduates had just filed out of Perry's office.

"Graduate scheme...ha!" Lois scoffed, "In my day you had to work your way up from the bottom to get to the top...I started off fetching cups of coffee and watering plants!"

Clark chuckled.

"What?"

"'In my day'?"

"Oh my god...did I really just say that?"

"Jimmy...why am I on the PC monitor?!" Cat shrieked.

"Relax...that's the iSight camera."

"The what?"

Momentarily, Perry stepped out of his office with a young woman – the graduate who had gotten the job. She had long blonde curly hair, thick-rimmed glasses and had an air of quiet confidence about her.

"Lois, Clark, I'd like to introduce you to someone who will hopefully become the newest member of the news team, Kara King. Kara, I'd like you to meet Lois Lane and Clark Kent. The best darned reporters I've ever worked with.

"It's a honour to meet you...I've read all your stories," Kara smiled.

Lois extended a hand to the younger woman, "Welcome to the Planet Ms King."

Clark was uncharacteristically silent. There was something very familiar about Kara King, but he couldn't figure out what or why.

"Yes Ms King, welcome to the Planet."

Lois noticed her husband's lapse in concentration, but didn't say anything.

"Well I'm going to give Ms. King a quick tour of the building and then I was hoping that you'd let her shadow you both for the rest of the week."

"No problem Perry."

Perry gave Lois a quick wink. He wasn't too good at hands on training and was relieved that Lois and Clark were going to show Kara the ropes.

"Now Kara, did you know that the King once performed in this building?"

"No Mr. White, I didn't," Kara responded, pushing her glasses up her nose.

"What was that about?" Lois pointedly asked Clark.

"I'm pretty certain I've met her before, but I don't know when or how...there's something very familiar about her."

"Well I've never seen her before so-"

_Help! Help! They're gonna fall!_

Lois noticed Clark tense up. "Go...I'll cover the story and look up anything I can find on Kara."

"Thanks honey."

A quick kiss, and Clark was gone.

* * *

"You see, Elvis loved Metropolis but Priscilla..."

_Help! Help! They're gonna fall!_

"Kara? You okay?" Perry noticed Kara tense up. She looked a little shaken.

"I'm fine Mr. White...Just too much excitement...I can't believe I'm working at the Daily Planet!"

Perry didn't press her for any more information, but Kara felt her stomach grow queasy. She'd just heard a call for help, but it was one that she couldn't answer...


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"So how did Kent and Lois hook up?" Cat asked Jimmy upon seeing Clark leave the newsroom.

"Oh that is a long, long, looooing story," Jimmy teased, "It'd take a long time to tell and I don't even know the half of it."

"C'mon fess up! I need the gossip!"

"Cat...any dirt on those two has long since been dished by the _Metropolis Star_, the _National Whisper_ and _Top Copy_. They're 'old news' now."

"Maybe I shouldn't have gone away," Cat huffed, picking at a fingernail.

"Does Perry even know you're back?"

"Mmm...nope," Cat said nonchalantly.

"Cat...why are you back here?"

"I got bored, okay?"

Jimmy for his part just looked straight at her.

"Alright...I ran out of money...I'm broke and I need a job."

Jimmy grinned, "Back working with the plebes again?"

"Very funny...Anyway I wanna know how Lois ended up becoming a married mother, and I wanna know what you've been up to, and what your secret is?"

"Secret?" Jimmy was confused.

"Come on! You look as young and fresh-faced as I remember!"

"I dunno!" Jimmy chuckled, "Guess I'm just lucky!"

"So are you single?"

"...No." Jimmy lied.

* * *

"Your sister is not going to be happy Miss Lane," Superman said to Lucy while she waited on the tow truck arriving to pick up Lois' car.

"I'll pay the damage! Oh god...what is it with me and cars?"

Clark had been on his way back to the planet when he'd heard Lucy Lane cursing and swearing. Clark winced when he realised she'd totaled Lois' car for the third time.

Luckily Lucy herself was okay, but the car was a right-off, half-wrapped around a lamppost.

"Would you like me to fly you to your sister's house to explain what happened?"

"Hmm...well the sooner I face her, the sooner she'll calm down...maybe."

"I wouldn't hold my breath," Superman mused.

* * *

Having left the Planet following her tour, Kara King took the opportunity to peer through some trees at the Man of Steel talking to a woman that looked a bit like Lois Lane. For years she'd imagined seeing Superman in person, and now here he was. She tried to control her racing heartbeat knowing only too well that Superman's super-hearing would pick up on it.

Kara listened as the woman began to talk. "Actually, I think I'll walk it to my sister's, but thank you anyway."

Not wanting to be noticed snooping about, Kara tried to make her way out of the bushes and back onto the street.

"Can I help you miss?"

_Dammit...rumbled_

"No I'm fine...I uh...just got turned around...I'm new in town."

Superman gave her an odd look, and she flinched slightly under his scrutiny.

"You wouldn't happen to work at the Daily Planet would you?"

"Uhm yes I do actually."

"I'm good friends with the Kents...Clark mentioned that Perry had just hired a new junior reporter."

"Yeah," Kara smiled shyly.

_I can't stop it! Somebody help!_

Kara's attention was distracted by a shout for help. Luckily Superman also heard it, so he didn't notice her reaction.

"I'm sorry Miss King, but duty calls."

With that, Superman flew off.

"Hmm...I didn't tell him my name, did I?"

* * *

Perry couldn't believe it.

"Cat...You can't just walk in here and expect to get your old job back after all these years...We don't even have a gossip column anymore."

"Not yet, but I'd be delighted to start writing _Cat's Corner_ again."

"We don't need a gossip corner anymore...Anyone that's interested in what the rich and famous are doing can buy a glossy magazine, or go onto our website and look at the celebrity section, which is over-staffed as it is!"

"Perry-"

"I'm sorry Cat...I don't think there's place for you here anymore."

Jimmy burst into Perry's office, "Cat...the police want to talk to you about a stolen hire car."

Perry continued to stare sternly at her.

"It's not stolen! I just borrowed it for a while...I...I had to get here."

Perry turned to Jimmy, "Son, tell the police that Ms Grant will talk to them in a couple of minutes."

Jimmy nodded and left the office.

Perry scrutinized Cat more closely. At first glance she'd looked the same as she always had. He looked at her more closely now and could see how tired she was.

"I didn't have the cab fare...I thought I'd drive here, see you and drive back and pay them when I got paid!"

"You're broke, aren't you?"

Cat laughed nervously, "Uhm...well...I...Completely, sir."

"Your husband gave you over ten million dollars when you divorced him...Where did all that money go?"

"A Carribean island...And can you believe? They repossessed it! I didn't know an island could be repossessed!"

Perry bit his bottom lip, "Listen Cat...I can't give you back your old job...It just isn't there any more,"

"Perry...I have to have this job-"

"And you'll have a job...as a mainstream reporter."

Perry could see the wave of relief wash over Cat, before she got excited and clapped her hands together.

"But you go in as a junior...you might already be able to dish the dirt on peoples' love lives, but you'll need to cut your teeth on a few...'real' news stories."

Cat stopped bouncing on the spot, not overjoyed at the news, but not deflated by Perry's decision either.

"I won't let you down Perry."

And she meant it.

As Cat turned to leave Perry's office, the phone rang.

"Perry White, Daily Planet....Jimmy Olsen?"

Perry held the receiver in his hands and called for his trusty sidekick, "Jimmy!"

"He's down with the hire car," Cat reminded him.

Perry quickly dug into his pocket and took out some cash.

"Go and get Jimmy. Give this to the police to give to the hire company...any problems, tell them to come and talk to me."

"Who wants to talk to Jimmy?"

Perry looked at Cat, his face stern and serious, "The hospital...It's his father."

* * *

"Officer...I'm sure there has to be a mistake...Ms Grant wouldn't steal a car," Jimmy tried to reason with the policeman who was intent on towing the hire car.

"Cat! I sure could use your help here!" he called upon seeing Cat emerge from the front of the Daily Planet building.

"Ms Grant?"

"Yes?"

"Did you steal this vehicle?"

Cat gave the officer her most sultry look, "Now why would I do a think like that? I may have forgotten to pay the rental fee, but I certainly wouldn't steal!"

Smiling at the policeman, she handed him the money Perry had given her. "This is for the hire company...If they have any more problems, they can talk to my boss, Perry White."

The officer's eyes widened at this remark, "Oh uhm of course Ms Grant...I'll drop off this payment at Wayne Rentals right away."

"Thank you," Cat grinned.

Once the officer was out of earshot, Jimmy turned to Cat, "You owe Perry big time."

"I know, but he told me to come down here to tell you the hospital's on the phone...It's your father."

* * *

A few minutes later, Jimmy was back in Perry's office.

"Uh huh...uh huh...Yes he's here now," Perry gave Jimmy a worried look and handed the receiver to him.

"Hello?"

_"James Olsen? This is Doctor Haddow at Metropolis General Hospital. I'm calling with regards to your father, Jack Ethan Olsen?"_

"Yeah?"

_"I'm afraid he was shot at by a sniper a few days ago. He paid to be transferred out of a military hospital so he could talk to you, but the prognosis isn't good. We'd suggest that you come to the hospital as soon as you can."_

"I...I'm on my way-"

_"He's in Ward Four...We'll let him know you're on your way."_

Jimmy put down the phone and looked at Perry. "It...It's my dad...somebody tried to kill him...They...I don't think they think he's gonna make it...I uh."

"I'll drive you there myself, son," Perry replied.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"You want me to go in there with you son?" Perry asked Jimmy.

Jimmy didn't want to insult Perry, after all, Perry was more of a father to him than Jack Olsen had ever been, but Jimmy knew how private a man Jack was. He would only have asked for Jimmy if he knew he might not make it.

Jimmy was saved from saying no when Perry's phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi Perry...It's Lois...I need to ask a big big favour of you,"

"_What is it Lois?"_

"Lucy crashed my car," Lois sighed, and Jonathan and Martha's flight got delayed and they've missed their connection, so there's no-one to pick up Jon from school and Jonathan and Martha are stranded at the airport...I was going to ask you if I could borrow your car but then I saw you and Jimmy leave..."

"_Relax Lois...I'll pick them up. You need to tell Clark to start driving. It's not like you can't afford another car...I know how much money you two make...Why is your husband so damned phobic of driving anyhow?" _Perry teased.

"Don't ask me," Lois chuckled before adding, "You really don't mind?"

"_It's not a problem Lois...Anytime."_

* * *

Lois hung up and phoned Clark only to get his voicemail – a telltale sign he was out on a mission. As the standard message played out, she looked at the Daily Planet Website news ticker on her monitor – Mudslide in Peru.

The message beeped. "Hi Clark, just to let you know that Lucy wrecked the Jeep and that Perry's picking up Jon and your parents...Hope everything's alright in Peru...Love you, bye."

Lois put the phone down and sighed. Sometimes these days she felt utterly helpless and useless.

* * *

Jimmy walked briskly through the hospital corridors looking for Ward Four. He made it to the nurses' station and tried to slow his heart, which felt like it might pound out of his chest at any minute.

"Hi there, I'm wanting to see Jack Olsen...I'm his son Jimmy."

"Hello Mr Olsen...I'm afraid your father was discharged half an hour ago," responded the nurse, sounding concerned.

"He was what? I was the under the impression that he was gravely ill!"

The nurse looked to the ground, "He is, but your mother wouldn't change her mind."

"My mom? My mom hasn't talked to my dad in years!"

"Well we have a signature here from an Arlene Olsen," the nurse said, handing over a pile of paperwork. "Your father asked us to call her right after we called you."

Jimmy looked at the signature. It was definitely his mother's, but the address wasn't. He quickly memorized the address and handed the form back to the nurse.

"Thank you...I don't know why she got him discharged, or why she was even here. If I can, I'll bring him back in."

"Thank you Mr. Olsen."

Jimmy quickly turned and ran back down the corridor, still running the new address through his mind.

11 Finley Street.

Luckily that was on a short walk away...

* * *

Within fifteen minutes Jimmy found himself at the door of 11 Finley Street. Tentatively he rang the bell and waited for an answer. He didn't have to wait long as his mother opened the door only a second later.

"Mom...Is dad?"

"You're father's fine Jimmy," Arlene Olsen smiled calmly.

"But the hospital thinks he'll die without treatment-"

"-We've been waiting for you," his mother smiled knowingly, "Come on in."

Jimmy pushed past Arlene and into the small apartment. Jack Olsen sat on the sofa. He was very pale, but looked more shell-shocked than ill.

"Dad?" Jimmy ran to next to his father.

"He's going to be fine Jimmy," Arlene said.

"Your mother had to get me out of there son," Jack responded quietly, "I didn't know why until just a few minutes ago, but now I do."

Jimmy was confused, but relieved to see his father alive. He sat down and put his arm around Jack's shoulder.

"You're going to be fine? That's great but why did you have to get out of the hospital-"

Jimmy stopped when he saw the large puncture mark in Jack's neck.

"What the hell's going on?" Jimmy asked as his mother left the room..

Suddenly Jimmy felt a searing hot pain in the back of his neck – a needle.

"What...what are you doing to-"

The next thing Jimmy knew was darkness...

* * *

"What on earth?" Martha Kent proclaimed loudly as she, Jonathan, Perry and Jon arrived at Lois and Clark's house.

There were muddy footprints all over the living room. Martha, Jonathan and Jon all gave each other knowing looks. They'd all heard the news of the mudslide and Martha hoped that Clark had heard her yelling. It was a sort-of family code for whenever there was someone in the house that didn't know The Secret.

So Martha was relieved when Clark came downstairs wearing his glasses.

Martha immediately pointed to the mess, to which Clark responded, "Don't ask."

This earned him a giggle from his bemused son.

"Well Jon," Martha began, "if you think it's so funny, you can help your dad clean up this mess before your mom gets home."

"But gran...Yes gran," Jon huffed.

Perry looked on in amusement as Clark and his son disappeared into the kitchen.

"Well I'd better get back to the _Planet_. I need to call Jimmy...see how his father's doing."

Jonathan nodded, "Tell Jimmy if he needs anything that well...we're here for him."

"I'll tell him," Perry replied quietly before leaving.

Safely back in his car, Perry picked up his phone to contact Jimmy. He was worried about the boy.

Perry chuckled despite the circumstances. Jimmy was 32 and still Perry considered him to be a kid. Perception was a funny animal.

Perry felt his stomach tighten into a knot as the phone continued to ring with no answer. Letting go of a nervous breath he hung up.

With there being nothing else he could do, Perry simply started up his engine and drove away, hoping that Jimmy would contact him, and soon.

* * *

The phone ringing forced Jimmy to blink back to consciousness.

_What the hell?_

He had a splitting headache, and it took Jimmy quite some time to localise his phone's location. After two or three aborted attempts at standing, Jimmy crawled over to his backpack, which was propped up against the wall next to the front door. By the time he reached his bag the ringing had stopped.

_Typical_

With his phone no longer occupying his thoughts, Jimmy turned around to take in his surroundings.

He was in a dirty, empty studio apartment, devoid of everything but the most spartan furniture.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

Jimmy finally managed to stand up. After surveying the bathroom Jimmy was satisfied he was alone.

But why was he here? Where was here?

He peered out of the apartment window and onto the street. The architecture was unmistakeable, and different from the rest of the downtown area. Finley street looked like it belonged somewhere in Europe rather than in Metropolis.

Finley Street? What was he doing in Finley street?

His head felt like it might explode as images filled his mind. He felt panic and a tightness in his chest as though something was very wrong. As he grew breathless he remembered a car, Perry's concerned face, Cat, dollar bills, a corridor, paperwork and a form.

He remembered running down a corridor, remembering an address. He remembered the form again. 11 Finley Street. and suddenly he remembered...

"Dad!"

He'd been visiting his dad. But where had he read the address, and why had it been so important for him to get there? Why wasn't he with his dad.

Panicking, he retrieved his phone and after dropping it, he managed to dial Metropolis General.

"Hello...Ward Four please,"

Jimmy paced anxiously as he waiting for his call to be transferred.

"Hi...I'm calling with regards to Jack Olsen? He was transferred from a military hospital with a bullet wound? He was discharged? By who? I see...Thank you."

Jimmy hung up, confusing engulfing his already clouded mind.

Why had his mom cared enough to visit his father? And why had she helped him to get discharged? Jimmy did not get on his mother, so he really didn't want to talk to her in his current state of mind.

_She wouldn't have gotten him discharged unless he was okay. And he was conscious, wasn't he? He wouldn't have left unless he was really okay._

_Would he?_


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"Did I miss them?" Lois asked as she arrived home.

"Yeah...they stayed long enough to hand over enough food to feed the newsroom for a month!" Clark smiled at his parents neverending hospitality.

"They brought lots of cakes!" Jon grinned triumphantly as he tucked into a chocolate brownie.

Lois smirked at her son, but she couldn't smell chocolate cake. She could smell carpet cleaner, lots of it.

"Clark...please say you didn't walk Peruvian mud right through the house," she sighed.

"You should have seen Uncle Perry's face," Jon giggled.

"Yeah...he looked pretty amused," said Clark sheepishly.

Lois pouted at her husband, humour in her eyes, before turning to Jon.

"Have you done your homework?"

"Uh-huh...Dad went over my math with me."

"And your English homework?"

Jon finished eating his brownie, "No, but I can do it tomorrow morning!"

"That's an awfully bad habit to get into," she told him and Clark nodded in agreement.

Jon sighed, "Okay okay...I'll go upstairs and get it done just now."

Lois and Clark smiled at each other. Jon was a good kid and they were both very proud of him. Sadly he was beginning to develop a lazy streak – definitely his father's influence. Lois was just happy he hadn't started to develop superpowers – yet.

Once Jon was upstairs, they both relaxed, more free to talk about the day's events. Of course Jon knew the truth about his heritage, but he was still only nine.

"Lucy crashed the car," Lois stated.

"Surprise of the century," Clark quipped, "Superman was there to calm her down...I even offered to fly her here to explain what had happened but she said no."

"That was wise of her...She'll be wishing she was never born next time she sees me...How did it go in Peru?"

Clark sighed. Mudslides were one of the worst things he dealt with. They struck with deadly force and next to no warning. And most victims weren't able to call for help.

"Alright considering...A lot of casualties, but not half as many as last year,"

Lois could tell he wasn't keen to talk about it, so she didn't press for any more details.

Clark clearly wanted to change the subject too, "So what did you dig up on our newest reporter?"

"Kara King. All things considered, she is a bit of an enigma, but there wasn't any one thing that stuck out...No record of her parents and no birth certificate...possibly a foster kid, but there wasn't much in the way of detail there other than one legal guardian for a few months when she was nine, a Cathleen Gordon. She excelled in school, but went from being an average kid to the loud and mouthy head of the cheerleading squad to suddenly becoming a timid agoraphobic in her late teens. She only got over the agoraphobia a few years ago, and got her degree mostly by studying at home."

Lois was right. Not one fact really stuck out, but put it altogether and Kara King had not had an average upbringing.

"I wonder what triggered the agoraphobia?" Clark wondered.

"I don't know. It was barely mentioned in the notes I got from her _alma mater_. There'll be notes in her medical file I'm sure, but there's no way I can get to them."

"Poor kid...A girl I went to High School with had agoraphobia...terrible thing...It nearly ruined her life."

"I've never known anyone who had it...sounds terrible from what I've heard though."

Clark suddenly zoned out, listening intently to something Lois couldn't hear.

"Police call...triple shooting on Carpenter Street."

"It's been a busy day for you," Lois sighed.

Clark nodded grimly.

"I'll give the police a hand, but I'll be back soon...You know how these things go."

* * *

In a tiny apartment across town Kara King focused on stopping her hands from shaking as she stirred a pot of soup.

_Yeah yeah, we've got a triple homicide on Carpenter Street. We've recovered a single handgun. Perp's thought to be nearby. Requesting backup._

Kara let out a small sob and dropped the spoon, retreating to the floor. The trembling increased, and for the dozenth time she wondered if she could do this.

She'd spent the whole day blocking out calls for help. Living in the middle of nowhere she rarely heard the panicked calls of strangers. After months of mental training she'd been able to block out calls from further away. But she couldn't be ignorant. She'd spent the day listening to the news of the mudslides in Peru. Of course, she felt guilty for not helping over there, but once Superman went to Peru, calls for help in Metropolis only increased, further upsetting her.

"You've got a decision to make Kara," she told herself, "You can continue to ignore all these calls for help, like you've always done, and continue to beat yourself up for it. Or you can give up on your dream of becoming a successful journalist and move back to Littletown and hole up in your house again...Or you can do what Kal-El did. Listen to those calls for help and answer them. Make up a disguise and make a difference!

"No no...That's insane!" she continued, "Like a disguise would fool anyone...What would I do? Lose the glasses? Straighten my hair? Grow a fringe?

"It could work! It works for Kal-El...He has a secret identity, or well...he must have!

"No it's stupid...And they'd find you again and they'd torture you again, now that they know about Kryptonite. They said they'd track you down."

Kara was having a battle with herself, and both sides were loosing.

"And so what?! Once Kal-El knows who you are and once you're in the public eye, they can't touch you!"

Kara screwed her eyes shut, knowing that if she was ever going to make a decision about this that she'd have to it now.

Remembering that her local Waynemart had a fabrics section and was open 24 hours, she grabbed her jacket and her purse.

She'd made her decision, and now she had a costume to make...

* * *

Jimmy began to realise just how strange he felt as he made it back to his apartment. It was early in the evening yet he was beat. Glancing at his living room clock he noticed it was only 7.30pm.

His mind was still clouded, and he was missing two hours from his day, but he knew he needed sleep.

Sighing, he headed to bed, hoping he'd wake up feeling better, and hoping he'd have an answer regarding what had happened earlier that day.

* * *

Clark had returned from helping the police with the triple shooting and he and Lois were sitting in their kitchen having dinner.

"So what did Perry say about Jimmy's dad?" Clark asked Lois.

"Metropolis General Hospital called the planet earlier today...Apparently Jack Olsen was shot at by a sniper while out on assignment for the N.I.A...According to Perry it wasn't looking good."

"Poor Jimmy."

"After Perry had collected Jon and your parents he tried to call Jimmy but the phone just rang out...He called me to see if I'd talked to him at all...He's worried that Jimmy didn't answer."

"It's not like Jimmy not to answer a call...His phone's permanently stuck to his ear."

"Maybe we should try to contact him just now," Lois suggested.

"Yeah," Clark sighed, picking up the handset. He keyed in Jimmy's number and waited. A few moments later he put it down again.

"No answer?"

"No answer."

Lois sighed. This wasn't looking good.

* * *

Once again the ringing of his phone forced Jimmy to wake up. Through the sleepy haze and his headache it took him a moment to realise what the sound was.

_The bed sure feels comfy_, he thought to himself as he woke up.

Abruptly the phone stopped ringing and stretching out, he felt a draught beneath him.

"Huh?"

Jimmy opened his eyes and was startled when he realised what he was doing.

He was floating!

"What the...Aaaargh"

He landed back on his bed with an almighty thud, his heart beating way too fast. Inhumanly fast.

What the hell was going on?


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Kara felt like a fraud.

Scraps of material were thrown haphazardly around her apartment, and she sat holding a print-out from a Halloween costume website. The print-out was titled _'Hey Girls, dress like Superman this Halloween!'._

Yep, she was a fraud. What sort of superhero didn't make their own costume design?

Putting down the print-out, she stepped back to admire her handiwork. She hadn't kept the bare midriff of the costume, and rather than the tights and red underpants she'd opted for creating a skirt. Kara never wore skirts or dresses anymore, so it might in some way help towards keeping both identities separate.

She'd made the costume, could she wear it?

She quickly got dressed, moaning at how tight the suit felt. Had she used the right amount of material? After a few seconds her aura enveloped the suit and it suddenly fit a lot better. It felt snug.

So she could physically wear the costume, but could she go through with it? Being a hero?

Kara was no hero. Not larger than life like Kal-El seemed to be. Kara was just a mild-mannered reporter. She was good at her vocation – journalism, and that gave her the confidence she needed to do her job. But could she run around wearing spandex? Saving people from car crashes, volcanoes, madmen and badly wired plugs?

_I'll wear the costume tomorrow, underneath my clothes, but no promises. _She told herself.

Looking at her civilian clothes and then feeling her cape, she sighed. How was the cape gonna fit in there?

* * *

The next day, Clark sat at his desk, twiddling his thumbs. Metropolis was normally a busy, happening place, but right now, Clark had nothing to write about.

It was 9am, and normally he, Lois and the rest of the news team were already working on their stories for the lunchtime edition. He glanced over at his wife, who was cleaning her desk. Lois only cleaned her desk when it was a slow news day.

The only person on the news floor who had a story to write – apart from Dave in sports – was Jimmy, but he hadn't arrived yet, and Clark was worried.

"Speak of the devil," Clark murmured as Jimmy exited the elevators. Uncharacteristically, Jimmy's eyes locked with Clark's almost as if he'd heard him talk. But Clark knew that was impossible.

Jimmy broke eye contact with Clark and continued down to his desk – which was occupied by Cat. Clark watched and figured he'd be better staying out of Jimmy's way. Something wasn't right.

"Cat," Jimmy stated coldly.

"Yes Jimmy?"

"I know I let you use my iMac yesterday, but this is my desk, and I have work to do."

"But where will I work?" Cat whined, looking put-out.

"I don't know," Jimmy replied with a even tone, "but you're not working here."

Cat got out of Jimmy's seat and slinked towards him, "Come on Jimmy...I'm a reporter now...I've got to have a place to work...After all, what's _your_ job here?"

Jimmy let out a sarcastic laugh, "Hmm...Let's see now...Head photojournalist, investigative reporter and I run the Daily Planet Website. I also have my own column dedicated to all the new gadgets and gizmos out there, so I'm really far busier than some junior reporter like yourself. So let's say I take back _my_ desk, and _order_ you to go work someplace else."

Jimmy's voice remained low and quiet throughout his tirade at Cat, so only she and Clark heard it.

"I uh..." Cat was a little upset by Jimmy's spiel, "I'll go."

Quickly Cat picked up her stuff and walked away from Jimmy's desk. Clark kept his eye on her as she stopped walking, out of sight of Jimmy. There was nowhere else for her to go, and after pacing a little more, she burst into Perry's office.

Normally Clark would have listened in on Cat and Perry's conversation (With his superhearing he normally couldn't help it) but his attention was now on Jimmy. Something was most definitely wrong.

Slowly, Clark got up and approached Jimmy who'd immediately set to work, checking over the website and updating his staff blog.

"Morning," Clark proferred.

"Morning," was Jimmy's equally curt response.

"How are you doing? How's your dad?"

"Fine....He's fine...I've just got a bit of a headache."

"Want an aspirin?"

Jimmy's expression grew strange, a mixture of humour and worry on his features, "I don't think that's gonna do the trick this time C.K."

Clark knew that Jimmy wasn't telling him something.

"Jimmy...You sure you're okay? You wanna talk about it?"

Jimmy bit his lip, "No and no...Not right now...maybe another time."

"Alright, well Lois and I are here if you need...Talk to us anytime."

"Thanks C.K."

Clark gave Jimmy a small smile and turned to walk back to his desk.

"I don't know how you deal with all this," Jimmy said suddenly.

"With what?" Clark responded cautiously.

Jimmy paused and looked at the ground before meeting Clark's gaze.

"Never mind...Sorry."

* * *

_Bright and confident. You are bright and confident. _Kara told herself as she walked into the newsroom.

_You are not wearing a superhero costume under your clothes. You are a reporter. You don't look like an idiot._

Upon seeing Lois looking in her direction, Kara stopped her train of thought and smiled.

"Hello Ms Lane," she said brightly.

"Hello Kara and please, call me Lois," Lois smiled in response.

Momentarily Clark appeared, "Good morning Ms King."

"Hello Mr Kent."

"Clark...Please, call him Clark," Lois smiled again.

"Well I'm here to shadow you both so can I ask what you're working on just now?"

"I'm afraid nothing at this moment, Kara," sighed Clark. "The mudslide is old news already, and the only other story we have is a triple shooting, but the victims families haven't been informed yet, so we can't comment."

Kara smiled nervously, "Okay so what do we-"

"-do?" Lois interrupted, "Right now we do nothing...That's why I'm currently cleaning my desk...I don't normally get a chance to tidy it up."

Kara nodded, "Okay...I'll go sit at my desk...Settle in...If you get a story, I'll be right over!"

Lois and Clark smiled at her as she turned and headed for her desk.

Kara stopped at her desk and felt the soft wood. She could feel years of writing imprinted on it's surface. She couldn't help but grin. Here she was in the nerve centre of the world's best newspaper, and she more of less had her own desk - she shared it with another junior reporter. There was no name plate up yet, but she was hoping that'd change soon.

Suddenly Kara felt a pair of eyes watching her. She turned round. The eyes were brown, and belonged to the owner of the adjacent desk.

"James Olsen?" Kara inquired.

"Jimmy...Call me Jimmy," he smiled at her extending a hand, "Ms..."

"King. Kara King,"

"Ah...I've heard of you...You're working with Lois and Clark this week, right?"

"Yeah!"

With her superhearing, Kara overheard Lois and Clark's conversation, as Clark remarked, "Jimmy's sure looking happier...There's a surprise."

She felt a blush creep across her face, and Jimmy began blushing slightly too.

"Uhm, well, Ms King...Kara...I have a lot of work to do, but we'll talk again later?"

"Definitely."

"We have a staff section on the website...Sort of like a Daily Planet Facebook...You should register and tell us a bit more about yourself," Jimmy grinned.

"Sure," Kara smiled, suddenly feeling a little worried. She couldn't fill in that profile. They might find her, "I'll do that."

Jimmy smiled and returned to his work, and Kara tried to do the same.

_No! Don't shoot me! I didn't do anything!_

Kara felt ill as the call for help cut through her skull. She tried to calm herself as her breathing grew erratic.

"Lois, honey...I think I left the iron on!" Clark suddenly jumped up. He kissed Lois and then literally ran out of the newsroom.

Through the noise in her head, Kara now turned to look at Jimmy, who had an odd look on his face, almost a look of realisation. His face grew more concerned, but he focused on his computer and continued to type frantically.

Knowing her perceptions were probably off following the call for help, Kara chalked up Clark's and Jimmy's odd behaviour to her own anxiety.

Supergirl wouldn't be making an appearance just yet, she decided.


	7. Chapter 6

Hello all!

Kind of lost sight of what I was doing with this story, but now I have the whole plot solid in my mind!

Many thanks to Annalina for the review!

* * *

**Chapter Six**

An hour later Clark reappeared in the newsroom. Kara watched as Lois walked up to her husband.

"You okay?" she heard Lois ask.

"Yeah...everything's fine...It...Somedays this sucks," he said back to her.

Suddenly Perry reappeared in the newsroom, flicking on the giant plasma screen that dominated the room. The familiar newsroom of ZNN appeared on the screen.

"_And we now have confirmation – Mount Etna has erupted. The Sicilian volcano is always geologically active, but this looks like a full-scale eruption. And as far as we're aware one of Etna's resident teams of volcanologists is stranded near the active crater. We'll bring you more news as it develops."_

"Lois, Clark, I want something for this for the afternoon edition, and everything on this for the evening edition!"

"On it, Perry," said Lois and Clark tried to make a dash out of the newsroom.

"Where you going Kent? Deadline's in an hour and a half!" Perry huffed.

"I've got a friend at the US Geological Survey."

"Oh, right son...Good thinking, but you get your butt back in time for that deadline."

A few moments later an update came through from ZNN.

"_And our correspondent in Catania has some breaking news for us – Superman is at the scene and is currently taking the geology team away from the crater and to hospital...The lava is flowing relatively slowly, and we're hoping the Man of Steel will do his usual trick and channel the lava away from the city of Catania. Scientists will continue to monitor the eruption, and will pay closer attention to seismic activity around the world for the next few weeks."_

There was a burst of cheers and a round of applause in the newsroom as everyone realised Superman had achieved the impossible once more.

Kara tried to push away the feeling of guilt that she felt at the news. She should be there helping. What if someone died while she was sat in the newsroom? She flit a quick look to Jimmy who oddly looked as troubled as she did. After a few seconds he too rose, again drawing Perry's ire.

"Jimmy!"

"Uh...My friend Dino owns Super-Shots on 15th...His family's from Sicily, so I'm going to see if he's managed to get any shots."

"Okay kid...you be careful."

Jimmy left the newsroom without another word.

* * *

However, rather than going to Dino's photolab he found himself back in his apartment.

"What's going on with you Olsen?" he spat at the mirror.

"I've got all these weird thoughts running through my head, and these abilities," Jimmy paused and focused his thoughts for a few moments. After a second or two he was once again hovering off the group, "I mean...I could probably fly...and this has all happened since that damn phonecall!"

Jimmy knew there was still a gap in his memory, but he remembered the pain of a needle going into his neck. Returning to the group he felt where he's sensed the latent pain, and flinched upon finding a single track mark in his neck.

"What the hell?"

* * *

Kara was stuck at the newsroom, keeping an ear open to the news broadcast.

"Kara...Can you work the science angle on this for me?" asked Lois, "I need background on the volcano...What type of volcano it is, when was it's last big eruption Pattern of eruptions..all that sort of stuff."

"Yes ma'am."

"Don't ma'am me...I told you, call me Lois."

"Yes Lois...I'll get right on it."

No sooner had Kara started to key in a Google search when the whole began to shake. For several moments the building violently trembled before calm returned and everyone tentatively got their feet.

"Okay kids...That seemed to be mild one, but you know the drill – out onto the street," called Perry as he sounded the evacuation alarm.

* * *

As everyone started to file out of the building Kara asked Lois a question.

"I didn't know Metropolis had earthquakes."

"I've lived here my whole life, and that's only the third I can remember," replied Lois.

"What if people are hurt?"

Lois shook her head, "No no, Superman will come back...He'll know we're in trouble," she stated emphatically.

"But he's in Sicily, away from a TV or a radio...I doubt his hearing's good enough to hear this far away."

Lois turned to look at the younger woman, regarding her coldly for a moment before she conceded the point.

"Well we'll just need to hope he can get here if he's needed...I'm just going to call Clark."

Kara watched Lois key in the number, signaling the end of the conversation.

"Liam!" called Perry, "You were smart enough to grab your computer, but are you smart enough to actually use it? Get ZNN on!"

The young copy boy quickly set up his prized Macbook and accessed the ZNN newsfeed. Kara however became distracted by some of the calls from help she could now hear.

_Oh my god! Help! I'm trapped!_

_Mommy? Where are you mommy?_

_When will maintenance get this elevator working? I'm sick of this_

_Yeah we need an ambulance at Portland Crescent...Car got totaled during the quake_

But soon those calls were drowned out by dozens of others all coming from the docks.

_Someone get binoculars...Is that a wave out there?_

_Oh my god...It's a tsunami!_

_We're all going to die!_

Kara flinched and began to make a hasty exit as ZNN began to cover the story.

"_We are getting unconfirmed reports of a Tsunami off the eastern seaboard, and it's expected to make landfall in Metropolis within a few minutes. There are no time for evacuation procedures, so can we please ask all citizens to keep away from the docks and get as far away from the coast as possible."_

"Oh my god," said Lois, turning to look at Kara.

"Kara?" Lois said, realising her young charge was gone.

* * *

Kara made it down to the docks in no time due to her super-speed. She quickly got rid of her glasses and her clothes, hiding them behind a dumpster. She grabbed a shard of a broken mirror from near the dumpster and using her laser vision quickly cut thick bangs into her hair. She used her heat vision to warm her hands and used them to straighten her hair. And with not a moment to spare she took off, heading for the massive tidal wave.

Kara tried to ignore the people who had been running away from the ocean who were now staring at her and continued on-course towards the killer wave.

_Okay...Superman did this once...let's see..._

She plunged into the murky water, heading towards the unseen structure of the wave, and after a moment she began to turn as quickly as she could.

* * *

Jimmy sat in his apartment, his head in his hands, overwhelmed by the voices crowding his brain.

"Go away!" he screamed, begging at them to cease.

"No! Leave me alone! I'm not a hero!"

After a moment the voices receded and Jimmy realised he was trembling.

"Who did this to me?" he wondered as some of the voiced returned again.

_The wave's collapsing! Superman must be back from Italy!_

_Wow! Who was that?_

_I thought that was Superman but it's a girl!_

_That girl's saved us all!_

_Wow...A new superhero!_

"Huh?"

* * *

"Come on!" cried Lois, "I can't get through to Jon's cell phone, or to his school!"

"Lois, come here," Perry offered her a reassuring hug, "Superman will come through for us, and he's so fond of Jon, I'm sure he'll keep your boy safe."

"Chief!" called Liam from his spot on the tarmac, "You _have _to see this."

Lois, Perry and the rest of the Daily Planet's finest gathered around the monitor. Cat appeared as well.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Liam indicated to the ZNN Newsfeed.

"_And this is astonishing. Superman is still in Italy diverting the lava away from peoples' homes, but the tidal wave has collapsed in on itself and we are receiving unconfirmed reports of a female superhero at the scene. Out cameraman is down there and we are expecting – yes we have footage!"_

The newsfeed cut to the image of a small red and blue figure punching her way out of the water and flying away from the docks.

"_For our viewers just tuning in, that figure is _not _Superman, but another new superhero in Metropolis...We're waiting on a frame-by-frame analysis, and yes thanks to our HD camera we have an image for you!"_

seconds later a rather blurry image was shown on the screen. Although fuzzy it clearly showed a girl with a blue top, red skirt, cape and boots, and a long mane of straight blonde hair.

"What the heck?" said Lois a tone of shock through her voice.

"_Who is this Supergirl? Stay tuned for more on this exclusive development!"_

* * *

Jimmy watched the drama from his apartment, stunned when a red-blue blur went past the window.

"Supergirl..." he said to himself, "Maybe I'm not the only one to get powers lately."

Jimmy however still suspected his parents, and channeled his energy into pinpointing his parents' voices.

"_We need to find him...He'll be confused...He might try a stunt like Kal-El or this 'Supergirl' whoever she is."_

"_I don't know...He's not that stupid. This planet doesn't need another hero."_

That was it. Jimmy was going to confront his parents.

* * *

Kara circled the city, and realised she wouldn't be able to go back for her clothes until the media furore had calmed down.

"There you go girl, that was your big debut!" she smiled to herself, her nerves finally leaving her.

_Help, somebody! I can't move!_

Hearing the call, she decided to answer it, and followed the panicked voice to a construction site a few miles away. Upon arriving she found a site worker trapped in the workers' elevator by some collapsed scaffolding.

"Don't worry sir. You'll be out of here very shortly," she called to reassure him before carefully removing the mangled metal.

Once the scaffold was out of the way the worker looked at her.

"You ain't Supes!"

"Nope, I'm a friend."

"Wow...well thank you ma'am!"

The worker enveloped her in a hug, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"You're very welcome," she smiled shyly, "Now I have to go...Have a nice day sir!"

Kara swiftly took off, leaving the worker in the yard.

"Wow!" he called excitedly, "Thanks Super-uh-girl!"

* * *

From the shadows of the construction site a shadowy figure watched Kara leave the scene before reaching for his radio.

"Commander, I've located Subject 001 and I'm proceeding as ordered."


End file.
